The cover of this book does not do it justice. I enjoyed reading it and found it to be interesting as well as educational.

Here are a few quotes that highlight the main points:

Books matter. They contain knowledge, and knowledge, as the saying goes is power.

Books are matter: they are containers, crucibles, confrontations. They can teach, guide, inspire, soothe, and agitate.

Google is becoming the most-used research channel. In such context, national libraries will be pivotal for their preservation role, with researchers access being provided through other channels.

The meaning of the word ‘book’ itself will change forever and will never again be confined to that of a physical object to be held, admired, loved, subject to spilt coffee or burning by dictators. The ‘book’ will be defined more around its function than any of its characteristics.

Academic books can deeply affect the ways that human beings perceive the world and interact with one another, playing an important role in cultural change.

I believe the current trend of not keeping score at children’s sporting events is doing more harm than good. Playing team sports teaches children valuable life lessons and keeping score plays a major role in teaching these lessons.

Keeping score teaches children the benefits of hard work. If everyone receives the same reward, no matter how hard they try, it takes away any incentive to put forth their best effort.

Failure is a fact of life and children need to learn how to lose. It’s much easier to learn the basics of overcoming defeat as a child on the playing field than as an adult in the work force.

Children also need to learn how to win. Personality goes a long way in the world. If you are an obnoxious brat, employers will not want to keep you around. You must learn to be a gracious winner.

Sarah Dunn is the author of The Official Slacker Handbook. This book was published in 1994, so some of the information is not applicable. However, it is an amusing book to read.

It gives advice on how to be a slacker, which jobs are best for the slacker lifestyle, how to assemble the perfect slacker wardrobe, how to mingle in slacker society, and how to find living accommodations that are suitable for a slacker.

The book also has several quizzes to determine if you are ready to live like a slacker.

It’s a short book, just over one hundred pages, so it is suitable reading for any slacker or slacker wanna-be.

I was intrigued by this book, because I am dyslexic. I still struggle with telling certain letters apart, if they are not in the context of a word. I also have difficulty figuring out which side is my right and which is my left. Over the years, I developed little tricks that allow me to overcome these problems.

The book gives a brief overview of dyslexia and how the brain of dyslexics processes things differently. Those differences can create problems in certain areas; however, they also allow people with dyslexia to thrive in other areas.

The advantages or abilities discussed in this book are not in spite of dyslexia. These advantages are a direct result of dyslexia.

People with dyslexia tend to be excellent story tellers and are extremely creative.

People with dyslexia have a greater ability to process 3-D images in their brain and determine how those images will function in the real world.

People with dyslexia often see patterns, relationships, and associations that are missed by those without dyslexia.

People with dyslexia have greater long-term memory abilities, especially when dealing with events or things in a story format.

People with dyslexia often have a greater ability to predict future outcomes, based on cause and effect processing.

The authors of the book also questioned labeling dyslexics as having a learning disability. In reality, those with dyslexia tend to be highly intelligent. They just process information differently.

The authors also believe our education system is doing a great disservice to dyslexics by trying to force them to learn in the same manner as those without dyslexia.

What is it about books? All my life, I have felt drawn to them. When I walk into a library or a bookstore, I stare with wide eyed amazement. It makes my soul happy to see all those books.

I enjoy reading fiction. There are so many stories waiting to be read. Books are full of adventure, mystery, joy, and even sadness. The characters become my friends. It’s as if they are sitting right in front of me and telling me their stories.

I also enjoy reading non-fiction. Books are full of wisdom and knowledge. They are waiting to impart that wisdom and knowledge to me.

There are so many wonderful books. I want to read them all. What’s a bibliophile to do?